Portable building



Aug. 16,1927. Q F. SLATER PORTABLE BUILDING Filed sept. 2, 192s a sheets-sheet 1 Aug.v 16, 1927.

G. F. SLATER PORTABLE: BUxLDING 'Filed sept. 2, y192s 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 16, 1927-. G. F. SLATER 1,639,577

'roRTABLE BUILDING Filed Sept. 2', 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 gWntp/o Patented Aug. 16, 1927.

UNITED STATES GEORGE E. SLATER, OF WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA.

PORTABLE Application filed September This invention relates to improvements in portable houses of that type in which previously constructed building units are assembled and secured together to form a structural whole. It particularly relates to a ceiling structure in which panels or slabs are mounted in a frame supported by the side walls of the house andit has for its ol ject the utilization of this panel supporting frame to maintain the room partitions in their assembled relation to the exterior walls of the building.

The invention will be described in detail hereinafter, pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated by the accompanying drawings.

In the accompanyingdrawings, in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts. Y

Figure 1 is a plan View, partly in section and parts broken away or removed, of a ceiling section embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a similar view on the line A3 3 of Fig. 2, showing the under side vof the ceiling section with all the panels in place.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1. j

Fig. 5 is a' detail sectional view on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1, showing particularly the fastening vdevice for holding the parts together.

Fig. 6 is an device.

Figures 7 and 8 are detail perspective views showing ends of the panel supporting members or moldings.

Fig. 9 is a detail perspective view of one of the ceiling panels. Y

Fig. 10 is a detail perspective view showing one of the ceiling beams.

Fig. 1l is a detail sectional view on the line 11 11 of Fig. 1, showing particularly one of the holding irons.

Fig. 12 is a detail view showing the interlocking joint between the moldings at a corner of the panel.

This ceiling structure is particularly de-k signed for small dwellings constructed of porta-ble sections that have been previously shaped and fitted so that the only work required in the erection is the positioning of the several parts in their assembled relation and securing them together. This system end view of the holding of building construction ,isV 'particularly` BUILDING.

2, 1926. Serial No. 133,267.

adapted to Vsmall'houses of one story in height, several rooms deep and but a single major room in width, the whole being covered by a gable roof.r In the erection of such buildings the flooring is first laid upon a suitably prepared foundation, and upon the flooring sideframes are erected and to whichV the exterior and interior walls are secured in the form of composite sheet material. Between the inner walls the cross partitions are mounted and the whole secured together. It is to such Aa structure that the ceiling of the present invention is applied. The drawings show the detail construction of the upper part ofv a major room one extending entirely across the house with the ceiling structure of the present invention embodied therein.

Referring to the drawings in det-ail, mounted on the top plates 2O of the opposite side frames of a'major house section.

are the cross beams 21 which carry the ceilingV panels. Each beam end extends part way across the adjacent plate and is secured thereto by the hook iron 22 (Figs. 1 and 11) the shank of which extends .through the plat-e vand .the end of the hook lengages the hole 23 in the end of the beam. The under side of the end of the beam is cut away, as at 24 (Fig. 10) so that the lower part of the beam abuts the inner wall 25 and serves to hold the latter in place against the inner edge of plate 20. AAs there are several of the beams 21 engaging the inner side walls, these walls are firmly he'ld in place against the upper parts of the side frames by the cross beams. These interior walls are formed of sheet fibrous material 26 which are first cut to fit the inner side of the frame, but before the sheet is secured in place itis coated on its inner surface with a hard surface finish 27, such as waterproof plaster' or other suitable material. As the hard finish is dif'licult to cut with tools, the fibrous sheet is first cut and fitted before the finish is applied.

In the opposite longitudina Y faces of each cross beam 21 extend the grooves 28 in which are seated the molding strips 29 and 30 to carry the ceiling panels 31. As shown in Figs. 1,-3, there are three beams 21 extending across the room section and they carry four ceiling pan-els 31 (only one of which is shown in place in Fig. 1), but the number of beams and panels may be variedto suit the size of the room. The three beams divide the ceiling` into two sections extending across the roomrand in each section are mounted two panels 31. 'l`hese panels, whicl are formed of the same material as the interior side walls 25, are supported on the molding strips 29 and 30. A molding strip 29 eX- tends across each end of the panel section abutting the adjacent interior side wall 25 and with its ends, which are cut away at 32 (Fig. 9) for the purpose of extending into the grooves 28 of the opposite beams 21. l At intermediate parts of the cross beams, similar strips 29 extend across the sections to subdivide the latter. Extending along the inner sides of the cross beams are the molding strips 30, having longitudinal flanges 33, Fig. 8, extending into the grooves 28 between the ends of the strips 29. rEhe mold strips 'seated in the cross beams mutually hold each other in place and serve to hold the strips 29 at the ends of the panel sections against the upper edges of the interior wall sheet 25 against the sides of the plates 2O of the side frames. rit the angles where the mold strips abut, the strip 31 has a tongue 3a (Fig. 12) that overlaps the strip 29 that gives a finished appearance. l/Vheu the strips 29 and 30 are in place, the panels 81 are placed on the strips between the cross beams and their weight ho'lds them in place without further provision for the purpose. rIhe transverse and longitudinal mold strips form a seat that is open on its upper side, clear of the inner faces of the opposite crossbeams and the adjacent wall section, so that the panel can be positioned in the seat from above. The foregoing construct-ion not only provides a ceiling that is easily erected, but also one that will give the panel and beam effectdesired for ornamental purposes.

1n addition to support-ing the ceiling panels, the cross beams 21 are also utilized in securing in place in the upper ends of the cross partitions. Each cross partition comprises a frame 35, to the opposite sides of which are secured the sheets 36 of coated fibrous material to form the walls of the adjacent rooms.V Preferably, a partition is placed so that its side edges overlap the adjacent edges of contiguous wall sections, as shown in Fig. 1. rihe upper edge of each partition is clamped between the cross beams 2i of adjacent ceiling sections. The beams with the upper edge of the partition between them as shown in llig. 5, are secured together by the three-pronged fastener 37 driven into the same. rEhe wedge shape of the prongs driven into the adjacent member, serve to force the beams and partitions together. rl`he under side of the fastener is wedge-shaped and serves to cut into the three connected members to hold them rigidly in place. A number of these clips are driven into different places, as required, to hold the parts together. in 1 shown an elongated pr.r d fastener Si" extending across two adjacent ceiling sections, its prongs being driven into the underlying cross beams 21. 1n this way the upper parts of the interior cross partitions are iirmly clamped in place.

TWith the several parts so construe4 l and joined together, the house can be rea `y and easily erected and also ea lig! taken apart without injury, should it be required.

1. ln a portable buildingthe con'ibination with opposite wall sections, -beanis spaced apart and mounted on the wall sections with their ends secured thercto, said cross-beams having longitudinal grooves inV their inner faces, mold strips seated in said grooves toform a vseat open on its upper side clear of the inner faces ofthe cross-- beams, and 'a ceiling panel intr duced from above the cross-beams and resting von said seat.

2. 1n a portable building, the combination with opposite wall sections, of cross-beams spaced apart and mounted on the wall sections with their' ends secured thereto, said cross-beams having longitudinal grooves in their inner faces, transverse meld strips eX- tending between the cross-beams with their ends seated in the `grooves of said cross-beams, longitudinal mold strips having` flanges extending along the same and seated in the grooves of said cross-beams between theends of said transverse mold strips, said transverse and longitudinal mold strips forming a seat open on its side clear of the inner faces of the cross-beams, and a ceiling panel introduced from above the cross-beams and seated on said seat formed by the mold strips.

3. 1n a portable building, the combination with opposite walls with each wall formed of contiguous sections, of a transverse partition extending between the opposite walls with the side edges of the partitions abutting the adjacent edges of contigous Wall sections, cross-beams extending between the walls onopposite sides of the partition, means for securing the ends ofthe crossbeams to the walls, and means for clamping together the partition and the cross-beams on opposite sides of the partition.

t. In a portable building, the combination with opposite walls with eachwall having a plate extending along its upper edge and an inner face of sheet material extending along the inner side of said plate and crossbeains eXtendinO- between said walls with their ends secured to the opposite wall plates, l

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